Hello! It’s May 21, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Deutsche Bank London branch fined for Russia sanctions breach, Hezbollah grooms children for martyrdom through its scout movement, Flurry of Suspicious Oil Trades Worth $800 Million Triggers Regulatory Probe, How an IRGC-linked money laundering network operated from London, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Deutsche Bank London branch fined for Russia sanctions breach. OFSI said the Deutsche Bank ​London branch (DBLB) processed payments for a ‌corporate customer incorporated in Ireland to a Russian app developer owned by a sanctioned entity. Reuters

🔥 TOP STORIES

Hezbollah grooms children for martyrdom through its scout movement Fox News

Flurry of Suspicious Oil Trades Worth $800 Million Triggers Regulatory Probe WSJ

How an IRGC-linked money laundering network operated from London Iran International

Integrating Financial Technology Innovation into Regulatory Frameworks The White House

Trump orders banks to take a closer look at clients’ citizenship in new immigration enforcement move AP

US indicts former Cuban President Raúl Castro over 1996 downing of planes AP

U.S. accuses Chinese execs, shipping container companies of price fixing during pandemic CBS

Ex-US prosecutor sent herself Trump probe report disguised as cake recipe South China Morning Post

Moolenaar, Khanna Release Investigation Exposing Billion-Dollar China-Linked Scam Centers Targeting Americans House Select Committee on the CCP

Treasury Targets Flotilla Organizers and Muslim Brotherhood Networks Supporting Hamas U.S. Department of the Treasury

U.S. Seized Iran-Linked Oil Tanker in the Indian Ocean WSJ

Microsoft disrupts service helping ransomware gangs disguise malware Axios

Cuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ as US imposes new sanctions amid rising tensions AFP

Hungary signals readiness to sanction Russia's Patriarch Kirill Euronews

US pursuing second criminal investigation into Maduro Reuters

US charges three Malaysian state telecoms officials for multimillion-dollar fraud Reuters

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Kyrgyzstan Shuts 50 Firms Over Russia-Related Sanctions Evasion RFE/RL

UK waters down new Russian oil sanctions as fuel prices rise BBC

Russians Pull Money From Bank Deposits for First Time Since 2022 Mobilization Panic Moscow Times

The secret Chinese surveillance programme tracking people like me The Telegraph

Germany Arrests Married Couple Suspected of Chinese Espionage Bloomberg

Kazakh businessman with ties to Russian banking sector moves to acquire international mining group ERG The Insider

🚀 SANCTIONS

U.S. Sanctions Hamas Support Networks U.S. Department of State

Sherritt halts plan to dissolve Cuba nickel mining venture amid US sanctions Reuters

US sanctions Iran currency exchange house, 19 vessels The Hill

EU Eases Sanctions on Syrian State Institutions but Keeps Squeeze on Assad-Era Tycoons OCCRP

Anthropic and U.S. government to face off in DC court over blacklisting of AI company CNBC

💥 TERROR

EU targets Iran’s Revolutionary Guard propaganda ecosystem in an online crackdown Europol

U.S. Arrest of Kataib Hezbollah Leader Signals a Shift in Iranian Proxy Model Soufan Center

Turkey arrests 110 on suspicion of ISIS ties Al Arabiya

Hamas appoints Mohammed Odeh to replace Izz al-Din al-Haddad as group's leader in Gaza TOI

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Twist in FIFA Corruption Case: 2 Fugitives Emerge, Seeking a Plea Deal The New York Times

Federal prosecutors open new criminal probe into Maduro, sources say CBS News

Banks working with City of London Police to hunt romance scammers BBC

Former Spanish PM under criminal investigation as €53m bailout of airline examined The Guardian

French judge opens probe into politician Philippe over corruption charges Reuters

Saleh Mamman: Nigeria arrests former minister in hiding after conviction for corruption BBC

3 men behind $2B healthcare fraud sentenced to prison – but kingpin remains on the loose NYP

California doctor convicted of $45M Medicare fraud scheme that funded luxury vacations and a $12K crossbow NYP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

201 arrests in first-of-its-kind cybercrime operation in MENA region Interpol

Crypto ATM operator Bitcoin Depot files for bankruptcy ICIJ

Alleged cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme ‘goddess’ extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy charges in US ICIJ

Huawei zero-day attack behind last year’s crash of Luxembourg's entire telecoms network The Record

Ohio Investment Manager Sentenced to Nine Years for $10M Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme U.S. Department of Justice

Multi-Billion Dollar Guarantee Marketplaces Exploit Stablecoins for Scams RUSI

Hackers using AI just found a ‘zero-day.’ The spyware industry is watching. Atlantic Council

7-Eleven confirms data breach claimed by the ShinyHunters gang BleepingComputer

🚚 TRAFFICKING

How Israel-Backed Sweida Became Syria's Narcotics Capital New Lines Magazine

US sanctions hit alleged Sinaloa cartel fentanyl network, including a Chihuahua restaurant Toronto Star

Pressure on Mexico after two ex-officials surrender to US over alleged cartel ties The Guardian

U.S. says suspected drug trafficker rescued from plane crash off Florida linked to Bahamas politician CBS News

CAB, Europol secure another 500 BTC likely tied to Irish drug trafficking case The Block

Out-of-State Trucker Arrested After Failed Human Smuggling Attempt of 42 in Hot, Locked Trailer U.S. Department of Justice

“Money is power, and in that government which pays all the public officers of the states will all political power be substantially concentrated.” —Andrew Jackson

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